


Awakenings

by azulaahai



Category: Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepetys
Genre: F/M, First Meeting, Injury, War, World War I AU, for some reason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 19:29:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20431244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azulaahai/pseuds/azulaahai
Summary: He wakes.For a blissful, blurry moment he has no idea who he is, where he's been, what has happened. Then the memories come rushing in, uninvited and unwanted, like gunshots.





	Awakenings

He wakes. 

For a blissful, blurry moment he has no idea who he is, where he's been, what has happened. Then the memories come rushing in, uninvited and unwanted, like gunshots. _Bang_. The roar of the grenade. _Bang_. The weight of a lifeless body thrown against him. _Bang_. Pain, agony so strong he could hardly - _Bang_. Darkness, forceful. 

He opens his eyes.

The field hospital is bright with sunlight. Nurses hurry around alongside the beds of many more like him, wounded soldiers. The young man in the bed next to him is missing a leg. He is just about to close his eyes again, hide from reality just a little while longer, when a voice is heard from the other side of his bed.

He turns to look at her.

"You're awake." The nurse looks down at him with gentle eyes, but there’s an edge to her statement. It's not a question, so he gives no answer, regarding her in silence as she corrects the bandage around his head.

It is, coincidentally, at that time he notices that he has a bandage around his head.

Along comes a second realisation.

He cannot hear anything on his left ear.

“My - I was with a company -” Would any of the others be alive?

“We don’t know anything, yet.” Her voice is softer now, but it’s like he hears it underwater. A bizarre urge to rip the bandage off grips him. His entire head itches.

  
“My ear”, he says. Not a very intelligent remark, almost laughably stupid, but the nurse’s lips doesn’t curve into a smile. “Will I … I mean, it’s temporary, is it not?”

“No.” As gentle as she’s been, she states the truth bluntly, not breaking eye contact. “You’ll never hear on that ear again.”

He nods. 

The movement hurts.

“Thank you … uhm ...” He’s drifting off again, dizzy. Outside, the war rages on. In his heart, he knows his companions are dead. In his left ear, there is no hearing.

But he catches her name.

“Joana.”


End file.
